FIRST CALL: Notes & Ramblings From The Pilothouse

 

President Teddy Roosevelt's "Great White Fleet" underway from Hampton Roads, VA for their historic 'round-the-world cruise, Dec. 16, 1907 to Feb. 22, 1909.
- Photo courtesy Navy Historical Center

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
It's 2008, and we're just getting started. We at The HOIST hope your Holidays were joyful and productive. And now, it's back to the biz of grinding-out another edition of NTWS' fine online newsletter!

MISSING A KEEL??
Professional chef and retired EW1, Steve Armstrong, sent me a note the other day saying he got his hands on a 1958 "The Keel" for Recruit Company 38, RTC Great Lakes through eBay. Steve said he'd be glad to donate it to anyone who was in that company, or an "honest" collector. Contact Steve directly through his profile if you're interested.

SEND SOME VALENTINE LOVE THROUGH THE HOIST!
Want to send a special message to a loved one through The HOIST? It's simple...and FREE. Send us your message in 50-words or less by email to ntws.editor@gmail.com. We'll get them published in February's edition.


Until next time...

Jon Yim
Editor

Navy Ships Approached by Iranian Boats

Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command
Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs

BAHRAIN -- Following a routine transit through the Strait of Hormuz on Jan. 6, three U.S. Navy ships operating in international waters in the Persian Gulf were approached by five Iranian small boats that demonstrated irresponsible confrontational behavior near the U.S. ships.

USS Port Royal (CG 73), USS Hopper (DDG 70) and USS Ingraham (FFG 61) were steaming in formation at approximately 8 a.m. as they finished a routine Strait of Hormuz transit when five boats, suspected to be from the Islamic Republic of Iran Revolutionary Guard Navy (IRGCN), maneuvered aggressively in close proximity of the Hopper. Following standard procedure, Hopper issued warnings, attempted to establish communications with the small boats and conducted evasive maneuvering.

Coalition vessels, including U.S. Navy ships, routinely operate in the vicinity of both Islamic Republic of Iran Navy and IRGCN vessels and aircraft. These interactions are always correct on the U.S. part and reflect a commitment to accepted tenets of international law and common practice.

Iranians: Hormuz Incident 'Normal,' U.S. Begs to Differ

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON -- Iranian officials called the buzzing by five Revolutionary Guard speedboats of three U.S. Navy ships "normal," but American officials insist the behavior was reckless and needlessly provocative.

The Iranian boats charged at the three warships Jan. 6 as they transited the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf.

President George W. Bush commented on the Iranian provocation during a short news conference at the White House Jan. 8.

"My message to the Iranians is simple: They shouldn't have done what they did," Bush said.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman called the Iranian action irresponsible and reckless. The Iranian armed speedboats charged at USS Port Royal (CG 73), USS Hopper (DDG 70) and USS Ingraham (FFG 61) as they steamed in international waters. One of the Iranian boats dropped boxes into the water in the path of one of the U.S. ships and radioed to the American vessels that they would explode.

"I found the action by the Iranians quite troubling, actually, and a matter of real concern," said Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates. "This is a very volatile area, and the risk of an incident escalating is real. I think that it is a reminder that there is a very unpredictable government in Tehran. And it would be nice to see the Iranian government disavow this action and say that it won't happen again."

But Iranian officials have not been so forthcoming. Iranian senior Revolutionary Guards commander Ali Reza Tangsiri told the Mehr news agency that Iran has the right to ask any ships to identify themselves upon entering or leaving the Persian Gulf.

"It is a basic responsibility of patrolling units of the Revolutionary Guards to take necessary interception measures toward any vessels entering into the waters of the Persian Gulf," Tangsiri said.

The U.S. ships followed well-established procedures during the incident, Whitman said, adding it was fortunate that the Iranian boats peeled off before the U.S. ships had to escalate to the next level.

"Do these incidents give us the opportunity to reflect, reevaluate, readjust? They always do," Whitman said. "But I don't know of any specific measures that were deemed to be inadequate in this case."

"Small, Iranian fast boats made some aggressive maneuvers against our vessels and indicated some hostile intent," Whitman said. "This required our vessels to issue warnings and conduct some evasive maneuvers. The U.S. Navy vessels were prepared to take appropriate actions, but there was no engagement of the vessels."

He said the speed of the Iranian boats and their distance from the U.S. Navy vessels demonstrated potentially hostile intent. Bridge-to-bridge radio communications between the Iranian vessels and the U.S. Navy ships reinforced this impression, he said.

The U.S. ships were operating in international waters within the Strait of Hormuz and followed all appropriate protocols, Whitman said. The U.S. Navy ships are USS Port Royal (CG 73), USS Hopper (DDG 70) and USS Ingraham (FFG 61).

U.S. warships will take all the precautions needed to safely transit the open waters of the strait, the Pentagon spokesman said.

"This is reckless and dangerous behavior on the part of the Iranian vessels, and it should cease immediately," Whitman added.

Typically, small boats such as these are under command of Iranian Revolutionary Guards, U.S. Navy officials said.

All U.S. warships transiting the open seas are prepared to take action should their ship or crews be threatened, Whitman noted. The U.S. ships "did take appropriate action in terms of maneuvering and communicating, and were prepared to take further action if necessary," he said.

The Defense Department will work with White House and State Department officials to come up with the appropriate way to address the incident with the Iranian government, Whitman said.

Iranian boats took 15 British sailors engaged in United Nations-sanctioned operations in the northern Persian Gulf on March 23.

Admiral Details Iranian Challenge to U.S. Ships

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON -- The commander of the U.S. 5th Fleet in the Middle East today called the behavior of Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats that buzzed three U.S. Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz yesterday 'unduly provocative.'

Navy Vice Adm. Kevin J. Cosgriff, who also commands U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, briefed Pentagon reporters via video teleconference from his headquarters in Manama, Bahrain.

He said the USS Port Royal, USS Hopper, USS Ingraham were inbound to the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz yesterday morning. The ships were in the midst of a routine transit in the early daylight hours, the admiral said. Five Iranian Revolutionary Guard high-speed craft came from the north and approached the U.S. ships.

"The five boats approached the U.S. formation on its starboard bow in international waters slightly inside the Gulf from the apex of the strait," Cosgriff said.

The Iranian boats broke into two groups and went on both sides of the U.S. formation. "The groups maneuvered aggressively in the direction of the U.S. ships," Cosgriff said.

U.S. captains called on the radio and sounded the ships horns to warn the Iranians off, he said. "The (U.S.) ships received a radio call that was threatening to our ships to the effect that they were closing our ships and that the U.S. ships would explode," Cosgriff said.

Subsequently, U.S. sailors observed two of the Iranian boats dropping objects in the water generally in the path of the USS Ingraham. "These objects were white box-like objects that floated," the admiral said. "Obviously the Ingraham passed by safely."

The boats maneuvered close astern, and after 30 minutes they returned in the direction from which they came, back toward Iranian territorial waters. The Iranian boats approached within 500 yards of the U.S. ships, the admiral said.

"It was transit passage in international waters incidental to a routing inbound transit of the Strait of Hormuz," Cosgriff said. "The U.S. ships were clearly marked. It was daylight, (with) decent visibility.

"The behavior of the Iranian ships was unnecessary," he continued, "without due regard to safety of navigation and unduly provocative in the aggregate of their maneuvers, the radio call and the dropping of objects in the water.""

The admiral praised the U.S. ships? crews, saying they stepped through procedures carefully, with good discipline and with due regard for all the factors. "I was very proud of their performance and the training they received," Cosgriff said.

Featured Upgrades this Month

Lest We Forget
One of our most popular new features has been the addition of a 'Lest We Forget' highlight to our Home Tab - alongside the regular profile of the day we now display a random profile from the Fallen profiles in the database. There is no special requirement or minimum data entry to qualify for this rotating spot - we consider all fallen profiles equally important. Many members have taken the time to let us know how much they appreciate seeing these profiles, and enjoy browsing them to pay their respects to our fallen brothers and sisters:

Privacy Protection Turned On
We have been contacted by some members concerned that others are not adequately safeguarding their personal details on the site. The site allows you to privacy protect your personal details if you choose, in which case only those you designate as your Shipmates will be able to view that part of your profile, but relatively few members had chosen to do so. With such a large proportion of our members being active duty we felt it was sensible for us to take steps to improve security in this regard - last month we made email addresses always privacy protected but this month we have turned on privacy protection by default on ALL profiles.

If you are happy for all full members to view your personal details then you can still edit that section and turn privacy protection off again - in the meantime we hope you understand that we have taken this step entirely for your security.

Air Force Guest Access
You will find a new option on the Home Page - Left Side which will allow you to visit this latest addition to the TogetherWeServed.com family. By following the link you will be logged into AirForce.TogetherWeServed.com as a Guest member and will be able to search for and browse all the AirForce profiles there. As of this writing we have over 42,000 Air Force profiles and the site is growing extremely fast.

Unblock Selected
If you find that you have accidentally blocked another member and wish to unblock him/her but are unable to because you are mutually blocked you will find a new option on all search results and index pages that allow you to unblock any member. Just search for their name, select the checkbox next to the name and click the button marked "Unblock Selected".

CNO Tours U.S. Shipyards

Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs

WASHINGTON -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Admiral Gary Roughead, left the Pentagon earlier this month on an eight-day trip to visit private and public shipyards throughout the U.S.

As detailed in the 2007-2008 CNO Guidance, building the Navy's future fleet is a top priority.

This trip served to deepen Roughead's understanding of the shipbuilding industry and help inform shipbuilding decisions.

"It is vitally important that I have up-to-date, first-hand knowledge of the latest developments, technological advances, and infrastructure improvements in the shipyards," he explained. Roughead said that a stable shipbuilding plan relates directly to the quality and quantity of ships the Navy acquires.

"Shipbuilding is complex, and the decisions I'll make regarding it are critically important to the future of the Navy," Roughead added.

The trip included visits to Portsmouth Shipyard (New Hampshire), Bath Iron Works (Maine), three Northrop Grumman Ship Systems sites to include Ingalls and Gulfport (Mississippi) and Avondale (Louisiana); Austal USA Shipbuilding (Alabama), Marinette Marine (Wisconsin) and National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (San Diego, California).

Additionally, Roughead met with MIT Security Studies Program faculty and other academic and business leaders, visited the Naval War College and Senior Enlisted Academy, and conducted All Hands Calls during his station and shipboard visits.

This visit will also play a larger role as CNO emphasizes his commitment to making the Navy a "Top 50" workplace. On this trip and in those of the future, Roughead will meet with Sailors, Navy civilians and family members, as well as business leaders and educators to help define the Navy's way ahead and integrate change, as needed.

"I'm a firm believer that if you don't walk the ground, you will not have a good sense of what's going on," Roughead said.

PHOTO SPECIAL: Sailors in ACUs

A candid look at Individual Augmentee (IA) Sailors attached to Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Khost, Afghanistan.
- Photos by Ensign Christopher Weis




Culinary Specialist 1st Class Oliver Puckyk, sets the head space and timing on his M-2 ("Ma Deuce") .50-cal machine gun prior to rolling-out with a convoy.








Personnel Specialist 2nd Class Cory Ianamoreli drives a Humvee during a recent quality-assurance mission for a road construction project in the province.







LT Rob Holt, a Navy IA from Hawaii, surveys security set by an Arizona Army National Guard platoon attached to PRT Khost. The team secured Khost University for a 'shura' (Islamic principle for the debate and exchange of views) between Afghan Army General Kaliq, university faculty and students.

New scam targets GIs, families

By Joseph Giordono
Stars and Stripes

A 3rd Infantry Division soldier deploying to Iraq is warning other servicemembers of the latest scam to target troops and their families.

According to 1st Lt. David Cowan, in early December his 84-year-old grandmother received a phone call from a man calling himself J.D. Taylor. The man claimed that Cowan was on his way home on leave from Iraq for the holidays, but had gotten hung up and lost his wallet and military identification card.

Cowan's grandmother, he said, was "asked by this person to wire $800, allegedly on my behalf so that I could get back home and surprise my family for Christmas."

The claim was a scam. Luckily for Cowan and his family, his grandmother knew to be suspicious of strangers asking for money, even if they'd somehow managed to reach the relatives of a soldier whose name they knew.

"I told her to write down everything she could remember from the conversation and to immediately contact the authorities," Cowan wrote in an e-mail to Stripes. "My grandmother is 84, and still a very sharp woman. Thankfully, she immediately saw through his scam and decided to contact me directly."

Cowan suspects the scam artist will try a similar ruse with other military families. And according to federal investigators, he's probably right.

In recent years, the FBI has tracked a growing number of scams targeting military families or making false claims to prey on the public's feelings of good will for troops.

The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center has tracked scams including ones sent from purported soldiers who have found or "stolen" millions of dollars in Iraq. Those scams are similar to the "Nigerian" e-mail scams.

"The scam e-mails vary in content; however, the general theme of each is to request personal information and/or funds from the individual receiving the e-mail," according to an FBI primer on the subject.

Despite repeated warnings about these particular or general scams, FBI officials say, many people still fall for them.

Investigators say Cowan handled the situation correctly. Law enforcement authorities advise people to never provide any personal or financial information over the phone or send money to a stranger on a relative's behalf.

If contacted by a suspicious-sounding person, one should record the details of the conversation and immediately contact local and federal authorities, they say.

NTWS Ships Store - For All Your Navy Shipmate Swag!

Visit to our online NTWS Ships Store for all your cool Navy swag - Shirts, Jackets, Hats, Jewelry, Footwear, Medals, Patches and much, much more!

(The Ships Store can also be found under the "Navy Store" tab or on the left hand Home Page just as you log into NTWS)

Over 9,000 quality Items at the lowest prices...and a 30-day, money-back guarantee! Here's some new items that just arrived in our store:

• Navy Golf Shirts (Various logos and colors)
  
• Belleville US Army Insulated Combat Boot
• Jostens Classic Men's U.S. Navy Ring - Rectangle Stone
• US Navy Ship Art Prints (2000 ships to choose from)
  

Thank you for your support of the NTWS Ships Store. All Store proceeds go towards promoting the NTWS website, bringing more Sailors to the TWS Community.

PHOTO LOG: Views Around The Fleet This Month

 

WELL-DESERVED - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates pins a Bronze Star on the uniform of a Sailor attached to an Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit (EOD) during an award ceremony at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. The award ceremony at EOD Group 3 was the first stop during Gates' tour of Navy and Marine Corps commands in the San Diego area.
- Photo by MC3 Dustin Kelling

READY TO ROCK - Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Jay Burnell, assigned to Naval Coastal Warfare Squadron Forward (NCWRON) 21, mans a .50-cal machine gun as his unit provides security and patrols Shuaybah Port for suspicious activity as the dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) pulls out to sea.

- Photo by MC2 Sandra M. Palumbo

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL - Fourteen year-old Laura Montero (center), of Albion, IL, thanks USS Ronald Reagan's (CVN 76) commanding officer CAPT Terry B. Kraft (right), and "Dawn Princess" skipper Captain Marco Fortezze (left) during a recent luncheon held aboard the Princess Cruises ship in San Diego. Montero was on vacation with her family aboard the cruise liner when her appendix burst. It happened while the ship was off the Baja Coast last month. The teenager was flown from the liner to the Reagan, which was conducting local operations off San Diego, for an emergency appendectomy by the carrier's Medical Department. The Reagan returned to San Diego where Montero was transferred to a local hospital. The luncheon was held in honor of the Sailors and Coast Guardsmen who made the rescue and surgery possible.
- Photo by MC2 Christopher D. Blachly

A QUICK WORD - Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Joshua Smith (right) talks with his fellow ordnancemen during flight operations aboard the nuclear powered aircraft carrier, USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).
- Photo by MC2 Felicito Rustique

REMEMBERING A COMRADE - Sailors and Soldiers render salutes in front of a "fallen comrade" display during a memorial service held in honor of Petty Officer 1st Class Victor Jeffries at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Jeffries died Dec. 31, from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident outside Kuwait City on Christmas Eve. He was assigned to Navy Customs Battalion, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group and deployed to Kuwait to support Operation Iraqi Freedom.
- US Army photo by SFC Paul Tuttle

GETTING READY - Boats from Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 2 Detachment 3 prepare to insert a fireteam onto the shore of Lake Qadisiyah near Haditha Dam in Iraq. RIVRON-2 regularly patrols the lake and the surrounding inland waterways, protecting their use for legitimate commerce.
- Photo by MC2 Paul Seeber

FIRST WEST COAST NAVY BABY FOR 2008 - Naval Medical Center San Diego rang-in the New Year with the arrival of the first baby born in 2008. Aerographer's Mate 3rd Class Kenneth Stewart and his wife celebrated the birth of their fourth child, a daughter, who was born Jan. 1 at 11:59 a.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). Stewart is stationed at the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Center, San Diego.
- Photo by MC2 Greg Mitchell

Troops, DoD civs must follow rules for political activities

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON -- As U.S. servicemembers and Defense Department civilians ponder candidates during the election season, they should realize there are limits placed upon their involvement in certain political activities.
 
Political-related "dos and don'ts" pertaining to military members of all service branches are proscribed within Defense Department Directive 1344.10, titled: Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces on Active Duty.

The federal Hatch Act delineates what federal civilians, including those working for the Defense Department, may or may not do in the political realm.

For example, servicemembers and government civilians may attend political events like meetings and rallies, but military members must only be spectators and not wear their uniforms.

In addition, troops aren't permitted to make public political speeches, serve in any official capacity within political groups or take part in partisan political campaigns or conventions.

Under Hatch Act rules, government civilians may be active in and speak before political gatherings or serve as officers of political parties or partisan groups. They are also allowed to manage political campaigns; distribute literature, except at work; write political articles; or serve as spokespersons for political parties or candidates.

Military members generally aren't allowed to campaign for political office. Civilians can campaign for office in non-partisan elections. Partisan political activity is defined as activity directed toward the success or failure of a political party or candidate for a partisan political office or partisan political group.

Yet, basic rules apply to both military members and government civilians. Neither can use their position in the military or the government to influence or interfere with elections. Servicemembers and federal civilians never can engage in political activity on the job, in a government vehicle or while wearing an official uniform.

For example, servicemembers and government civilians are not to distribute political literature at work. This also applies to politically partisan electronic mail messages forwarded over the Internet.

Servicemembers and government civilians are encouraged to exercise their right to vote and participate in the democratic process. But, they should know there are rules in place that govern the extent of their involvement in political activities, officials said.

Navy Surgeon General reflects on King birthday observance

By VADM Adam M. Robinson Jr., Medical Corps, USN
Special to The HOIST

This week we celebrate what would have been the 79th birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King. Dr. King was a great American who should be counted among some of the great heroes of our nation and one of the most influential figures in Western history.

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln were all integral parts of American history and the American story. Dr. King is also a part of that story. It is very appropriate that we commemorate his life and his birth this week.

Although his life was cut tragically short, Dr. King left behind an enduring legacy. His values of love, tolerance, forgiveness, service, reconciliation and truth were then, and are today, so desperately needed to unify Americans and all of humanity.

Never is the message of diversity and acceptance more clearly defined than on the holiday honoring Dr. King's birth. We celebrate the diversity of all humanity on this day that so epitomizes interracial and intercultural cooperation and sharing. Dr. King's greatest dream was a country (and a world) of multi-racial tolerance, with all its people united in peace, justice, equality and understanding.

Dr. King knew that all faiths, races, creeds, ages, and genders have not only self-worth but also a NECESSARY contribution to make to all humankind. None of God's creatures is without a vital role or an important piece to offer the collective whole.

What have we learned through the timeless values instilled by Dr. King? Among the many lessons, he taught us not to settle for injustice. But more than that, he taught us to fight for inequities in a non-violent fashion and to fight ignorance and injustice but not each other.

He also taught us that we cannot stand by and be spectators. We must become involved. Our voices must be heard in order to change our lives and our world. It takes a great deal of courage and conviction to make this stand. Dr. King was willing. Are we?

In the end, the choice is up to us. Dr. King once said that we must decide whether we "will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness." We make this choice on a daily basis. Dr. King also asked, again and again, the nagging question: "what are you doing for others?" We decide, we choose if we will live by Dr. King's teachings and his example by making a personal commitment to serve humanity, the community, and the world in the spirit of tolerance, respect, and love.

How do we take a stand? By living lives which reflect our values, including our values of honor, courage, and commitment; our values of "not self -- but country"; our values which reflect our noblest traits. And, then we must share these values with our children.

We can do so much to help bring Dr. King's legacy to life in our lives and our work. This is not about social activism, but social responsibility. Standing as living, responsible role models for our children and our shipmates help to solidify our faith and values. And in so doing, we strengthen our Navy and our country. Please be involved. Speak out for what is right and responsible. It is not only your privilege but your responsibility.

I urge each of you to reach out to your community, your shipmates and all those around you in an attempt to get to know and understand your unique differences. Embrace each other's diversity and you'll likely find that there are more similarities than differences when all is said and done.

WARBOOK

THE POWER OF THE BALLOT BOX

Many of us take for granted our right to vote.

In 1870 the 15th Amendment guaranteed the right to vote to all men who were 21 or older regardless of race, color or previous condition of servitude.

In 1920, the 19th Amendment gave women age 21 and older the right to vote. That was only 88 years ago!

In 1964, the 24th Amendment made it illegal for states to charge poll tax to voters. The 1965 Voting Rights Act empowered the federal government to oversee voter registration and elections in counties where officials had regularly prevented blacks and other minorities from registering to vote or cast their ballots through use of literacy tests, grandfather clauses, and intimidation tactics. This Act enforced provisions previously guaranteed in the earlier amendments.

The 26th Amendment lowered the voting age across the nation to 18 in 1971.

As you can see voting rights have changed over time, and they are still changing today. We are very fortunate to live in a country where we have a say in our government.

You can say what is important to you by registering to vote and exercising your right.

NAVY FAMILY NEWS: Scholarship for military kids closes Feb. 20

By Caroline Williams
Defense Commissary Agency Public Affairs

FORT LEE "Are you digging under the sofa cushions for misplaced change and rolling coins from your money jar to help pay for college tuition? Given the soaring costs of higher education, you certainly aren't alone. Perhaps a $1,500 scholarship could help"

Applications for the 2008 Scholarships for Military Children Program must be turned in to a commissary by close of business Feb. 20. They are available in commissaries worldwide or online, where they can be filled out on the computer and printed, or printed and filled out by hand. At least one scholarship will be awarded at every commissary location with qualified applicants.

The scholarship program kicked off in 2001 and, according to agency officials, has awarded more than $5.5 million dollars in scholarships to 3,532 of the best and brightest children of military families.

Retired Marine Lt. Col. Fred Thomas's son Mark earned a scholarship in 2001. He said he's still paying for his son's undergraduate tuition, but every scholarship helps. "[This scholarship] was one more piece that allowed my son to attend a top university and excel by not having to work his way through," Thomas explained. Mark posted a 3.96 grade point average upon graduating from the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind., with a Bachelor of Arts in theology, music and philosophy. He is presently a Senator Jacob K. Javits Fellow at Boston College, Mass., working on a doctorate of philosophy in religion.

The scholarship program is open to unmarried children under the age of 21 (23 if enrolled in school) of active-duty, Reserve, Guard and retired military personnel. Eligibility will be determined using the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System database. Applicants should ensure that they, as well as their sponsor, are currently enrolled in the DEERS database and that they have a current ID card. All applicants must be U.S. citizens

The applicant must be planning to attend, or already attending, an accredited college or university full-time in the fall term of 2008. Students at community or junior colleges must be enrolled in a program of studies designed to transfer directly into a four-year program.

"Applications must be in the store by close of business Feb. 20," said Edna Hoogewind, DeCA's scholarship program liaison, "either by hand or mail." If you are not hand-delivering your application, Hoogewind recommends using a delivery method that supplies a return receipt. From April 15 through July 1, applicants can go online and verify receipt of their application in the "Verification of Receipt" section.

Hoogewind also advises students to check all their materials carefully for simple things, like making sure the application is signed or that they are using the 2008 application, not one from previous years. Everything applicants need to know about the program can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions section of the military scholar Web page.

The Scholarships for Military Children program is funded through donations by the general public and by product manufacturers and brokers that sell groceries in commissaries. Fisher House Foundation, a nonprofit organization best known for building comfort homes near military medical facilities, administers the Scholarships for Military Children program. Fisher House Foundation uses the services of Scholarship Managers, a professional firm that has handled more than 400 programs, to screen applicants and award scholarships. Neither Fisher House nor DeCA are involved in the decision process.

DECK LOG: Shipmates asked to help rescue fleet tug for museum

By Bruce T. Martens
American Fleet Tug Museum
Special to The HOIST

I'm Bruce Martens, the person spearheading the American Fleet Tug Museum. The primary purpose of the museum is to document, educate and present historical events relating to the activities of the United States Naval fleet tug-salvage vessels in World War II, the Korean Conflict and Vietnam.

The vessel we want to use as our museum base and flagship is USS BOLSTER (ARS-38). She represents ALL fleet tugs, and more importantly, the brave men and women who served their country while aboard these fleet tug/salvage vessels. Over the last 60 plus years, the three fleet tug class vessels assisted ALL branches of our military and ALL classes of United States Navy vessels, including aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers, destroyers, submarines, landing craft and cargo/tanker ships.

BOLSTER alone was awarded 15 battle stars for her services to our country!

Presently, due to a Congressional mandate, all ex-military vessels located within the three US Maritime Administration (MARAD) reserve fleet groups, and of World War II vintage, must be destroyed by 2008! The USS BOLSTER was built in 1944-45, so she is included within this mandate.

It is VERY important for you to understand that BOLSTER is the LAST one of her vessel class and, presently, in VERY good condition.

We are not seeking funding at this time, but asking YOU to assist us in saving her from being sunk as a target and lost forever. BOLSTER needs to be taken off the sinking exercise (SINKEX) list. There are hundreds of ex-fleet tug crew members, as well as thousands more naval history buffs, who want her saved.

HISTORY, UN-DOCUMENTED, CEASES TO BE HISTORY
There are presently over 59 operating maritime museums displaying the very classes of ships BOLSTER and her sisters assisted over the years. I have no doubt that within the Congress and Senate are members who were on ships assisted by fleet tugs at one time or another. We are asking YOU, and other persons of power and responsibility, to step forward and sponsor our goal, allowing us to present this VALUABLE portion of our history to the public and future generations of Americans.

As a side note, Fleet Tugs were used in World War II, Korea AND Vietnam, SAVING lives as well as shipping. They also participated during the atomic testing, and as support vessels during many of the early space capsule recoveries.

It seems only fitting that a vessel, who served her country so well, should now be saved herself. PLEASE act now as we need to beat the clock on this IMPORTANT matter.

Time is money, and I want to thank you for taking the time to review this situation.

Don't forget, you have the power to save her -- and it is YOUR history, too.

Website address: www.americanfleettugmuseum.org
Email address: fleettugmuseum@sbcglobal.net
Phone/fax: (707) 645-1377

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OFF DUTY: TLC

By SSG Mary Flynn
National Guard Bureau Public Affairs

WASHINGTON - Episodes of "American Chopper" airing on The Learning Channel (TLC) this month will feature the first of three bikes to be built by Orange County Choppers for the National Guard.

Hundreds of soldiers gathered in front of the Army National Guard Readiness Center here in late September to witness the unveiling of the first "Patriot Chopper." The American Chopper production crew filmed the ceremony, and the two episodes will feature the bike's construction.

Metalworker Paul Teutul Sr. and his son, Paul Teutul Jr. -- known as "Paulie" by his fans -- founded Orange County Choppers in New York after introducing their first bike, "True Blue," at the Daytona Biketoberfest in 1999.

The Teutuls quickly became famous among chopper enthusiasts, and the family, including the youngest son, Mikey, shot to wider fame when "American Chopper" made its debut on the Discovery Channel in 2002.

The Teutuls have a history of building patriotic bikes, and they have produced multiple theme bikes for several branches of the military.

The Patriot Chopper was the result of a collaborative effort between the Orange County Choppers and four National Guard soldiers. In early 2007, the Army Guard invited soldiers around the country to submit their ideas for the custom design of the Guard-sponsored bike. Four winners were chosen: Chief Warrant Officer David Vasquez, of Colorado; Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Billet, of Georgia; Sgt. 1st Class Richard Crawford, of Illinois; and Pfc. Joseph Scheibe, of Ohio.

Maj. Gen. James Nuttall, deputy director of the Army National Guard, presented certificates to the four winning soldiers during the unveiling ceremony. He congratulated them on a job well done and a bike well designed.

The highlight of the ceremony was when Paul Sr. made his grand entrance on the bike, coasting in coolly and revving the engine to enthusiastic cheers of the crowd.

The winning soldiers were in awe.

"To be a part of something like this is pretty cool stuff," Scheibe said. "We went to the OCC shop in New York last month, and we saw pieces and parts of the bike. But to see it finished was just really cool."

The finished bike showcases a minuteman air cleaner. The blade spokes of the wheels feature 3-D inlaid spearheads representing the seven Army values, and an ammunition belt lines the handlebars. Chromed M-4 magazines serve as the struts, and an M-4 rifle is mounted on the side of the rear wheel.

The bike is red, white and blue with an Army combat uniform pattern used throughout. A list on top of the bike includes every war and conflict the National Guard has been involved in since its founding in 1636.

"We took (the soldiers') ideas and put them to work," Paulie explained. "I think, for them, it really is their bike. It was a bike they designed and that we fabricated. I think it made it that much more special."

The Patriot Chopper is the first of three bikes commissioned by the Army National Guard. The purpose is twofold, officials said. First, the bikes are intended to be a recruiting tool. Army Guard recruiters will display them at rallies across the country to entice potential soldiers to talk with them. Second, the bikes can also convey important messages about safety.

Despite the television program's tough-guy image, the "American Chopper" stars remain extremely conscious about safety. The stars wear helmets and other protective gear religiously, a practice they hope to impress upon soldiers.

"They're very willing to help us out in terms of safety awareness and wearing the proper gear for our soldiers," Nuttall said. "The bike is one part of it -- the build. But the safety is really what we're trying to get after."

Before the ceremony in September, Paul Sr. joined Nuttall to record a public service announcement about motorcycle safety aimed at National Guard members.

Sincerely,
The NTWS Administration Team
http://navy.togetherweserved.com